1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus such as a disk player, a tape recorder, or a video camera and more particularly, to an apparatus for recording and/or playback, such as a disk player equipped with a recording medium such as an optical disk on which data signals are recorded.
2. Background Art
Electronic apparatuses including a disk player, a tape recorder, and a video camera have been decreased to as a small size as portable.
Such portable electronic apparatuses are minimized in the overall dimensions by reducing the size of its components and electronic device as well as the space where the components are installed. It is further tailored for decreasing the size of an electronic apparatus that an electronic circuit board on which the electronic components are mounted in circuitry arrangements is divided into smaller segments and the space available in the apparatus is filled with the smaller segments.
For example, a disk record and playback apparatus is proposed employing as a recording medium a disk cartridge which has a disk installed therein for recording data signals. In particular, the apparatus comprises a housing which is substantially identical in the size of a plan view to the disk cartridge and a disk record and/or playback assembly accommodated in the housing for recording and/or playing back a data signal on the disk of the disk cartridge.
Although the electronic apparatus such as a disk record and/or playback apparatus has been minimized in the overall size for ease of mobility or portability and is still underway for miniaturization, it is however difficult to maintain the mechanical strength of particular components of which dimensions are decreased to a minimum. Thus, the electronic apparatus composed of such components is hardly ensured in the mechanical strength. Accordingly, it may easily be injured when accidentally dropped down.
It is thus designed for protection of a mechanism where the mechanical strength is insufficient to have a housing which the mechanism and electronic circuit boards are installed made of a material having a proper degree of mechanical strength so that the mechanical strength of the overall construction can be maintained to a level of insurance. The housing made of a material having a higher mechanical strength however results in the increase of the overall weight of the apparatus. The mechanism developed for increasing the mechanical strength will be adverse to decreasing the overall size of the apparatus.
In case that the electronic apparatus includes a set of small sized electronic circuit boards, each composed of a plurality of electronic circuits, for effective use of a limited space in the apparatus, electrical insulation and connection to the ground of its electronic circuits will extremely be troublesome.
If the electrical insulation and connection to the ground of the electronic circuits in the electronic apparatus fail to provide a level of liability, its housing, made of e.g. a synthetic resin material may be assaulted by static electricity thus producing a fault and impairing the electronic circuits.
It is possible for protection of the electronic circuits on the circuit boards to have the circuit boards integrated to a single unit. Although such an integrated form of the circuit boards ensures ease of the electrical insulation and connection to the ground of the electronic circuits its increased size will prevent the apparatus from being minimized in the dimensions.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus and a recording medium record and/or playback apparatus which are minimized in the overall size and the overall weight but still have an optimum degree of mechanical strength.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus and a recording medium record and/or playback apparatus which is capable of, when used as a portable or mobile type, having an optimum degree of mechanical strength regardless of being stressed by external impact due to drop-down.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus and a recording medium record and/or playback apparatus in which electronic circuits are securely protected.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus and a recording medium record and/or playback apparatus in which static charge is prevented from.
For achievement of the objects of the present invention, an electronic apparatus comprises: an upper half and a lower half; a framework; and a circuit board which is substantially equal in the size to the framework and has a degree of rigidity enough to be mounted to one side of the framework, wherein the upper half and the lower half are arranged so as to sandwich and enclose the framework therebetween. As the circuit board is mounted to the framework with a degree of rigidity, the rigidity and mechanical strength of the framework will be increased.
The electronic apparatus may further comprise a strip member mounted to an outer side of the framework. The strip member is located between the upper half and the lower half. The framework is formed of a four-sided shape and arranged movable relative to the strip member.
The electronic apparatus of the present invention may further comprise a base mounted to an inner side of the framework. The framework has at least one pivotal arm pivotably mounted thereto and joined to the upper half so that the upper half can pivotably be turned relative to the lower half.
The framework has a lock member for locking the upper half at its closed position over the framework.
A recording medium record and/or playback apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a record and/or playback units having a first circuit board provided with a grounding potential unit; a cover body pivotably mounted to the record and/or playback unit and including a shield member connected to the grounding potential unit and a second circuit board connected to the first circuit board; a holder made of a metallic material and arranged to travel between the location for loading a recording medium into the record and/or playback unit and the location spaced away from the record and/or playback unit as the cover body is pivotably moved; and a grounding member made of a metallic material, provided with an engaging portion for engagement with the shield member and a contact for coming into direct contact with the holder, and connected to the shield member to urge the cover body in a direction of the holder pivotably turning.
The first circuit board and the second circuit board connected to the first circuit board are electrically shielded by the cover body including the shield member connected to the grounding potential unit. Since the shield member is connected to the grounding member, the apparatus remains connected to the ground thus being prevented from static charging.
The grounding member has a pressing portion thereof for pressing the recording medium against the record and/or playback unit, which prevents from static charging.
In the recording medium record and/or playback apparatus of the present invention, the cover body has a window and at least one operating buttonswitch mounted thereon, and the second circuit board has at least one switch actuated by the action of the operating buttonswitch and a display element provided opposite to the window.
The recording medium record and/or playback apparatus may further comprise a base, a framework on which the base and the first circuit board are mounted, a strip member mounted to an outer side of the framework, and a half accommodating the framework, wherein the strip member is located between the cover body and the half when the cover body is closed over the half.
The framework has at least one pivotal arm pivotably mounted thereto and joined to the cover body and a lock member for locking the cover body at its closed position over the half.
A recording medium record and/or playback apparatus according to the present invention is provided comprising: a main body including a recording medium record and/or playback units; and a cover body pivotably mounted to the main body and having at least one operating buttonswitch mounted on an upper side thereof, wherein the main body includes an opening for loading of a battery, a storage for storing the battery loaded through the opening, and a battery cover for opening and closing the opening, wherein the storage is formed by the main body bulged downwardly at its lower side. The storage is bulged downwardly from the lower side of the main body. This allows the apparatus to be tilted when placed with its storage at bottom thus contributing to the improvement of the operability of an operating section of the cover body.
The opening for loading a battery is provided in a side of the main body. Also, the battery cover for opening and closing the opening is pivotably mounted on the main body with one end of the opening designated as the pivotal base.
The recording medium record and/or playback apparatus of the present invention may further comprise a holder arranged to travel between the location for recording medium record and/or playback and the location spaced away from the location for recording medium record and/or playback as the cover body is pivotably moved.
A recording medium record and/or playback apparatus according to the present invention is provided comprising: a main body including an upper half, a lower half, and a recording medium record and/or playback unit which are arranged to substantially a rectangular parallelopiped shape, the lower half having an opening provided in a side thereof at a corner for loading a battery and the opening being opened and closed by the action of a battery cover pivotably mounted to the side of the lower half; and a holder mounted to the main body for traveling between the location of loading a recording medium onto the record and/or playback unit and the location spaced away from the record and/or playback unit. The main body includes a base on which the record and/or playback unit is mounted, a framework joined to the base and accommodated in the lower half, and a strip member mounted to an outer side of the framework. The main body also includes a circuit board mounted to a lower side of the framework.
The apparatus may further comprise a cover body arranged for movement relative to the main body as the holder is pivotably moved, and provided with at least one operating buttonswitch on the upper side thereof. The cover body has a display mounted on the upper side thereof.
Other objects and practical advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments.